From the Short Tee #1

I’m a motivational speaker by profession so it’s hard to curb my enthusiasm when I get caught up in an idea or physical pursuit. I’m also an author of self-help books, so I have the tendency to “teach” something when I write. This article covers two points about women and disc golf and why I think there are so few.

Point 1. For Men Only:

Disc golf is a perfect sport for active women of all ages. Sadly, there are not enough female players in the sport. I’m always disappointed to see a young woman on the course dutifully following her boyfriend around without a disc in her hand.

Yes, I’m opposed to women as mere decoration on the course. I saw one yesterday while I was playing yesterday and wanted to hand her one of my discs and urge her to play.

So here it is: Guys, don’t just ask your woman to tag along and be awed at your big arm, teach her how to throw. Buy a cheap DX plastic 150 class understable driver (Leopards are great) and give her some tips on technique.

Be patient. Encourage her to view Internet videos of pro women players throwing drives so she can observe and try on her own. Be encouraging. Let her know that building a skill takes time and keep the learning fun!

Point 2. For Women Only:

When I see a female on one of our local courses, whether she is playing or not, I tell her about our league and invite her to join. Invariably, she responds, “Oh, I’m not good enough to play on a league!”

I explain that this is whole purpose of a league, to learn, to experiment, to try, to suck, and to have a good time anyway. They don’t believe me, but this is all true. We females have to get over the “I’m not good enough.” syndrome. We just need to slip into our Big Girl Knickers and get out there and throw.

I sucked so bad when I started playing it’s a wonder I persisted. My first throw on my first night of league went approximately 20 feet into a huge bush. No one laughedor even snickered. Our leader, Erin Oakley simply said,”Why don’t you try that again.” My first year, my average drives ranged between 35 and 50 feet. I couldn’t bear to keep score, but I kept on playing.

So, ladies. You think you suck? You shoulda been there. And here’s the secret you really need to know. Learning and failure are intimately connected. You can’t learn without some failure and you can’t really fail as long as you’re learning.

I hope I’ve convinced you to get out there and throw. Yes, you’ll suck for a while (I still do, sometimes) but that’s what learning is all about.

And the best part? I’ve found that most disc golfers are incredibly generous people who love the sport so much they are more than willing to tolerate the bloopers and blunders of a raw beginner. See you on the course!

C. Leslie Charles describes herself as the oldest female amateur player in Michigan, discovering disc golf right around the time she could qualify for social security. In between hours of practice on the soccer field, Leslie plays on a women's league in Lansing Michigan and participates in tournaments. She is a member of PDGA and holds the world distance record for women 65 and older.